What's Old is New at Union New American
Hearth Roasted Oyster with bacon and chile butter is just one of the warm appetizer offerings at Union New American
There’s a newish kid on the fine-dining block in Tampa. Next Level Brands, led by partners restaurateur Jeff Gigante, Andrew Wright, and Joseph Guggino, opened their new concept, Union New American, in April after two years of planning and construction. The interior and exterior of the 9,358-square-foot building in the former Austin Center are beautiful. The two-story structure has a modern look outside, integrating wood, steel, and large windows into the cube design. Inside also takes a modern approach, with warm, soft lighting and wood, marble, and brass finishes. The kitchen, with its central open-fire oven, is visible from the dining room. Their oblong oval bar has cushy semi-circle barrel barstools, high-top tables, and a large flat-screen TV at one end.
Union New American’s open hearth oven is visible for guests in the dining room.
The Union New American bar is an oval shape bar has cushy semi-circle barrel barstools with a flatscreen at one end.
The dining room is designed with warm soft lights and wood, marble, and brass accents.
At first glance, the menu looks like it is trying to find its groove, with a smattering of different food origins. There are southern standards like country biscuits and smoked fish dip, which then veers into sushi and other Asian dishes like Korean barbecue chicken and General Po’s Iberico pork. Frankly, something is appealing about that. The idea here is to integrate global flavors and techniques into familiar classics, according to their website. Having no specific boundaries and taking a global approach to great food is enticing.
The house craft cocktails offer a wide selection of interpretations of classic mixes. While the New American Old Fashion sounds interesting (made with apple brandy), I keep it simple and start with their OG Old Fashion. It is slightly delayed getting to the table, but is spot on; sweet, spicy, and bourbony.
Sea Bass Satay-two skewers of delicate Sea Bass topped with miso glaze and cucumber namasu (thin pickled cucumber slices)
For appetizers, we start with Sea Bass Satay: two skewers of delicate Sea Bass topped with miso glaze and cucumber namasu (thin pickled cucumber slices) and a toasted sesame top. The fish is firm and flaky, and the salty-sweet miso is first-rate. Next comes Hearth Roasted Oysters, four medium-sized mollusks lightly kissed by the heat and flavor of the oak hearth and sprinkled with bacon bits and scallions. It’s a savory bite, and very bacon-forward, covering any hint of oyster.
Hearth Roasted Oyster with bacon bits and chili butter
Union’s Greek salad is a half-plate mix of Romaine and Baby Gem lettuce and cherry tomatoes stacked on top of a smear of red pepper hummus, with a large dollop of tapenade on the side. The salad is topped with delish balls of fried bread croutons with the fluffy texture of hush puppies, feta, and lemon vinaigrette dressing. It is light and fresh.
Greek Salad- Romaine-Baby Gem lettuce, Tomato, Olive Tapenade, Fry Bread Crouton, Red Pepper Hummus, Feta, Lemon Vin
There are five sushi dishes to choose from, all with a seafood component. We choose Korean BBQ Salmon. It’s sweet barbequed salmon, cucumber, charred allium (garlic), Gochujang (red chili paste), sesame oil, honey, and togarashi (Japanese seven-spice) rolled with white sticky rice. The accompanying soy sauce is served in a steel service set.
Korean BBQ Salmon- Salmon, Cucumber, Charred Allium, Gochujang, Sesame Oil, Honey, Togarashi.
Korean BBQ Salmon Sushi are served with chopsticks and soy sauce
General Po’s Iberico Pork is a plate of Asian barbequed Iberian pork served with a heap of shrimp fried rice and tortilla-looking scallion pancakes. Traditional Yum-Yum sauce (a mayonnaise and tomato-based sauce) is there for dipping. It’s Union's version of a fajita, only this time using Asian ingredients. The delicate scallion pancakes are speckled with pieces of onion and sesame seed, and the sweet, crispy pork and mouthy fried rice all wrapped up and dipped in that sweet, tangy sauce make for a messy (finger food) delicious, zingy combo.
General Po's Iberico Pork with shrimp fried rice and scallion pancakes is Union New American’s Asian version of fajitas.
General Po's Iberico Pork with Yum-Yum sauce wrapped in a scallion pancake
Topping off the night of deliciousness, we order a Banana Cream Donut dessert. It’s a fluffy and pillowy brioche donut and donut holes, fried to a golden brown and coated with cinnamon and sugar. That warm pastry is topped with banana cream, whipped cream, and a vanilla wafer. It’s a banana cream pie on a donut. Three donut holes flanking the edge sit on a dollop of the same banana cream, sliced banana, and have a spot of banana jam riding shotgun. I’ll take a dozen to go, please.
Banana Cream Pie Doughnut- cinnamon sugar brioche donut topped with vanilla custard, whipped cream, and a vanilla wafer, and flanked by donut holes with custard and banana jam.
We were unable to see the second story. According to reports, it was built primarily as a private event space, having three separate rooms for varying-sized groups, plus another indoor and outdoor bar. Our server tells us that it is also used on limited nights during the week as a second bar and service area.
Union New American restaurant - 1111 N Westshore Blvd,
Union’s menu offers several gluten-free, vegetarian, and vegan options. There’s an extensive wine list by the bottle and ample by-the-glass options. The dessert menu has five selections of sweet stuff along with fine Cognac and port options. Their craft cocktails are creative variations of classics and change over time.
The noise level is moderate, and the service is top-notch. There’s lots of adequate parking. Prices are fine-dining level.
Ready for a new take on some classics? Union New American is the place. Reservations are recommended and can be made online.